The Battle of Hackham Heath (Ranger's Apprentice: the Early Years) - Hardcover

Flanagan, John

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 039916362X ISBN 13: 9780399163623

Publisher: Philomel Books, 2016

Synopsis

John Flanagan, author of the bestselling Ranger's Apprentice fantasy adventure epic, delivers a second prequel to Ruins of Gorlan, the novel that started it all, with Halt and Crowley preparing for war against a near-unstoppable enemy
 
When the former Baron Morgarath escaped to avoid punishment for treason, an uneasy peace fell on Araluen. But Morgarath, now in hiding, is already planning his next move, recruiting an army of savage, overpowering beasts known as Wargals. Newly crowned King Duncan knows he must assemble his troops for battle.
 
To find out the full extent of Morgarath&;s plan of attack, Halt prepares for a seemingly impossible task--climbing the deadly cliffs of the Mountains of Rain and Night and venturing deep into enemy territory to spy. After all, the winner of this war could be determined by one wrong move.
 
At the Battle of Hackham Heath, the fate of a Kingdom will be decided. This origin story of how Halt came to be Araluen&;s most famous Ranger &; and how war will decide the future of the next generation &; will thrill Ranger&;s Apprentice fans and new readers alike.

About this title

About the Author

John Flanagan grew up in Sydney, Australia, hoping to be a writer, and after a successful career in advertising and television, he began writing a series of short stories for his son, Michael, in order to encourage him to read. Those stories would eventually become The Ruins of Gorlan, Book 1 of the Ranger&;s Apprentice epic. Together with his companion series, Brotherband Chronicles, the novels of John Flanagan have sold millions of copies and made readers of kids the world over. Mr. Flanagan lives in the suburb of Manly, Australia, with his wife. In addition to their son, they have two grown daughters and four grandsons.
 
You can visit John Flanagan at
 
www.WorldofJohnFlanagan.com

Reviews

Gr 6–10—In this companion to The Tournament at Gorlan, Flanagan continues his new prequel series. In the aftermath of an intense battle to restore King Duncan's kingdom, Halt and Crowley commit themselves to securing the realm's safety by ensuring that evil Morgarath never returns. Dividing their duties, Crowley escorts a pregnant Queen Rosalind to a safer location, while Halt goes on a scouting expedition to the Mountains of Rain and Night, where Morgarath is thought to be training an army of fanged and furry semihuman creatures called Wargals. Relying on mind control to direct the beasts, Morgarath seems unstoppable. A showdown and culminating clashes highlight the Rangers' ability to rely on unseasoned recruits, local terrain, and well-choreographed infantry and cavalry tactics to outplay the enemy. Despite some tragic losses, Duncan's depleted army lives to fight another day, leaving the door open for Morgarath to make another move in future episodes. Flanagan is a master of using context clues for challenging vocabulary, and his narrative is as delightfully descriptive and imaginative as ever. VERDICT This is not as page-turning or humorous as other "Ranger's Apprentice" titles, but Halt and Crowley still rule as beloved heroes with wide appeal.—Vicki Reutter, State University of New York at Cortland

Edition details

• Publisher: Philomel Books
• Publication date: 2016
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 039916362X
• ISBN 13: 9780399163623
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 346